Checker game piece

ABSTRACT

A two-piece plastic checker whose parts interfit telescopically in such a manner that the completed checker resembles and has the feel of a one-piece construction. The checker is hollow and the parts are economically fabricated by molding. In a modified form, a core formed of wood or the like may be fitted within one hollow plastic checker section.

United States [72] Inventor David Meade Peebles 325 Marcy Ave, Oxon Hill, Md. 20021 [21} Appl. No. 866,208 [22] Filed 0ct.14,1969 [4S] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [54] CHECKER GAME PIECE 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figs.

[ 52] US. Cl 273/137 AC, 273/137 W, 273/116 E [51] Int. Cl A63f 3/00 [50] Field ofSearch 273/136, v 137 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 486.308 11/1892 Watt 273/133 714,930 12/1902 Mease 1,266,857 5/1918 Recker... 273/136 2,551,318 5/1951 Drew 273/136X 2,619,349 11/1952 Abrahamson. 273/137 X 3,155,391 11/1964 Chittenden 273/131 3,347,550 10/1967 Carboni 273/137 X FOREIGN PATENTS 841,559 6/1952 Germany 273/137 Primary ExaminerDelbert B. Lowe Att0rney B. P. Fishburne, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A two-piece plastic checker whose parts interfit telescopically in such a manner that the completed checker resembles and has the feel of a one-piece construction. The checker is hollow and the parts are economically fabricated by molding. In a modified form, a core formed of wood or the like may be fitted within one hollow plastic checker section.

PATENTED M1831 IBYI 3602.514

iiialllllllljij INVENTOR DAVID MEADE PEEBLES BY M ffm ATTORNEY CHECKER GAME PIECE This application contains some subject matter in common with prior copending applications Ser. No. 707,677, filed Feb. 23, 1968, for GAME APPARATUS now U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,123 and Ser. No. 776,874, filed Nov. 19, 1968, for CHECKERBOARD AND CI-IECKERS, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,537.

The general object of the present invention is to improve upon the checker structures in said prior applications by rendering them more simplified and economical to manufacture by modern plastic molding techniques and imparting to the finished checkers the feel and weight of a solid wooden checker but avoiding the expensive material and machining required to produce wooden checkers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing checkers embodying the invention associated with a checker board of the type used with the checkers.

FIG. 2 is an exploded central vertical section showing two sections of a hollow checker prior to assembly.

FIG. 3 is a similar view in section showing the assembled checker.

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing a modification.

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing a further modification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the same, and making reference first to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a checker comprising telescopically interfitting upper and lower preferably molded plastic sections 11 and 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the assembled sections 11 and 12 may simply be held together frictionally or they may be adhesively bonded, as desired. I

The upper checker section or half 1 l is cylindrical and has a diameter larger than that of the checker section 12 so that the latter may enter the bore of the former snugly telescopically. The upper section 11 has a top wall 13 depressed centrally over a major portion of its area to provide a shallow cylindrical recess 14 to facilitate nesting or stacking checkers, as shown in FIG. 1 and in said prior patents. The upper section 1 1 at its axial center has a tubular cylindrical hub or sleeve 15 depending from the bottom wall of recess 14 and extending flush with the lower edge 16 of the section 11. The bore 17 of hub 15 is completely open at both ends and the hub 15 is of small diameter compared to the diameter of the checker.

The lower mating section 12 also has a cylindrical side wall and is open at its top and the bottom wall 18 of the lower section has a depressed cylindrical reduced diameter portion 19 adapted to fit into the recess 14 of another checker to facilitate stacking or nesting. The lower section 12 also has a central open-ended sleeve or hub 20 integral with the depressed portion 19 at the axial center of the checker and terminating short of the top edge 21. The bore 22 of sleeve 20 is of sufficient size to receive the hub or sleeve 15 telescopically and snugly when the two sections 11 and 12 are assembled, FIG. 3. When assembled, the top edge 21 will abut the top wall 13 and enter the annular space 23 of the upper section 11, substantially filling this space. The lower edge 16 will then be flush with the lower face of wall 18 and the two sleeves 15 and 20 are telescoped with the upper end of sleeve 20 substantially abutting the bottom wall of recess 14. The checker 10 thus formed is substantially unitized and, while hollow and formed of two separate parts, the user will obtain the feel of a solid one-piece checker.

The checker thus formed is employed on a checkerboard of the type indicated at 24 in FIG. 1 having recessed squares 25 and alternating squares 26 in an elevated plane, also disclosed in said prior patents. The reduced diameter portions 19 of the checkers 10 will enter the recessed squares 25 so as to be interlocked with adjoining squares 26 to prevent undesirable sliding of the checkers over the board. The checkers according to the invention are economical to manufacture and assemble and while using a minimum amount of material give the player the feel of a more expensive solid checker and they also have a good appearance. Additionally, the center bore 17 of the assembled checker may receive an upstanding locator lug on the checkerboard to interlock the checker and board, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,537. The recess 14 may also receive in its' bottom a thin circular disc or card bearing a numeral or alphabetical letter to aid in teaching children. Such disc, not shown in FIGS. l-3, may be readily pushed out of the recess 14 by inserting a pencil or the like upwardly through the bore 17. This feature is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,537. I

FIG. 4 shows a modification wherein substantially the identical plastic molded upper checker section 1 l is employed in producing a modified checker 27. The details of this section 11 need not be redescribed. Instead of the lower and inner section 12, previously described, a solid core 28 of wood or the like is introduced into the main cylindrical bore of the hollow section 11 snugly, filling said bore between the hub 15 and the checker outer wall, as shown. The core 28 at its lower end has a reduced diameter portion 29 serving the same purpose as the portion 19 in the nesting or stacking of two checkers. The core 28 has a central bore 30 extending therethrough receiving the hub 15 telescopically. The elements 11 and 28 may be secured frictionally or with a suitable adhesive. The checker 27 thus produced has the advantage of being somewhat heavier than the checker 10, therefore giving the feel of a more expensive solid checker.

FIG. 5 shows a further modified checker 27' having the identical section or shell 11 of plastic and a wooden or like material core 28 whose outside diameter is reduced to the diameter of the depressed portion 14 to save material and render the checker somewhat lighter, leaving an empty annular space 31. In other respects, the checker 27 is made exactly like the checker 27. One of the previously-mentioned educational discs indicated at 32 bearing an alphabetical letter or the like on its upper face is shown removably seated in the bottom of recess 14 in FIG. 5. This optional feature can be used in connection with all forms of the invention disclosed herein.

In the construction of the two-part plastic checker shown in FIG. 3, if desired, the interior hollow space may be filled, or partly filled, with a wooden or molded wood chip annular core which will impart weight to the checker. This is an optional feature.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. A checker comprising an upper external checker shell which has a relatively thin wall and is substantially hollow, and a lower core element fitting telescopically into the interior. of said shell and being substantially unitized therewith and forming with the shell a complete checker, said shell and core element being cylindrical and snugly interfitting and having telescoping reduced diameter sleeve portions at their axial centers, said sleeve portions being open-ended so that a central through bore is provided in the checker. 

1. A checker comprising aN upper external checker shell which has a relatively thin wall and is substantially hollow, and a lower core element fitting telescopically into the interior of said shell and being substantially unitized therewith and forming with the shell a complete checker, said shell and core element being cylindrical and snugly interfitting and having telescoping reduced diameter sleeve portions at their axial centers, said sleeve portions being open-ended so that a central through bore is provided in the checker. 